Silon Malware Steals Your Credentials

Trusteer, a company that protects customers doing online businesses, warns the people on a new Trojan called Silon which can intercept user's web login activities targeting Internet Explorer users.

Silon identify the user's login session, reads and encrypts the details, and transmits them to a remotely located server that commands and controls the Trojan. This server is used to store the stolen identification data of other victims. Silon also attacks online banking customers doing financial transactions. Since the transactions are protected with validation tools like banking card interpreters or tokens, the W32.Silon will wait until the user logs in. Then that's the time that it will inject a powerful html script while the customer is connected with the financial institution's server.

At first, the Trojan fabricates real appearing web-pages, pretending to belong to the bank's website and asking the user to use his transaction validation tool. Afterwards, the user will type his details into the pages without knowing that his credentials were stolen and being exploited by the cybercriminals for having fake transactions using the user's name. Trusteer is very much concern with the Silon's sophistication level because it can get away around tough validation devices such as PINs and card readers.

According to the security researchers of Trusteer, W32.Silon is only a small part of all the malicious programs in the honey pots located in Europe and North America during late September 2009. Actually, it is not yet clear on how Silon is infecting systems but it was speculated that it is through any spam outbreak or a contaminated USB drive.

In addition, Trusteer asks help from law enforcement to find the command-and-control system. A company spokesperson had a remark about the C&C server's location saying that the researchers had not accessed it nor detect Silon's success rate. Finally, the researchers from Trusteer state that the new Trojan shows the increasing progress of the malware authors when it comes to their strong potential on accomplishing online banking attack using only one malicious program.

With the new Trojan, Silon, people should be careful when doing bank transactions online. You can get the virus through any spam or get contaminated through USB drive. To ensure that your PC is secured with virus like Silon, contact Techie Now. We can assist you on any PC support services that you need, be it virus and spyware removal, performance optimization, installation and configuration, and general repair. With Techie Now, you will be sure that your computer and online banking is safe and protected.

By: Angeline Mabute